I got my computer back after it’s been on “vacation” at the apple store for almost two weeks! It is definitely a sign that I am overly reliant on a piece of technology if I think it was the longest two weeks of my life…but it was! I hated not having my own laptop when I needed to do my research, check my e-mail, write my paper, etc.

But now, it’s all better and now I’m looking ahead to the next big thing…a trip to Kansas tomorrow! I leave fairly early in the morning and for the first time in my life, I am all packed more than 12 hours before I have to leave. This is big, people. This never happens. However, somehow I managed to get it all done this morning before I went for a run and to the law library.

I am really looking forward to the symposium later this week but also to the time to spend with my mom, who will be visiting from Ohio, and my friends of course (and my dog Sunshine–how could I forget?!)…

Not much else has been going on in the last few days. I’m still getting lots of congratulations and positive comments about Barack Obama being elected as president. At the election party we were at the other night, the regional TV station came in and I made a quick appearance in my Obama t-shirt…good times! I’ve also played some soccer…too bad we lost again. It’s a shame, but we’re improving slowly but surely. The good news is that I am now in sole first place as topscorer of the whole club. Check it out here. There are still plenty of games to play in the season, so I’m not getting too arrogant yet, but it’s kind of fun!

I better get going on cooking some dinner soon and finalizing all the things for tomorrow. See some of you very soon!

tot ziens…

Hello friends. I am afraid I have some sad news to report: I’m super clumsy and spilled water on my laptop. I tried letting it dry out over the weekend, but today still nothing. It is now sitting at the Apple store here in Utrecht awaiting its fate, but the outlook is probably expensive!!!

I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it’s nothing too major, but I can only imagine that it will be if we’re being honest…

For now I’m recreating my research paper (grrrr) at the Law Library and trying to salvage some of the research I’ve already done on other projects.

The Apple peeps seem to think after a week they’ll know what’s wrong with it and it’ll take another week or so to fix. So this is yet another lesson in patience for me. Luckily I have the ability to use my roommate’s computer sometimes and also come to the library when I need to.

There’s so much to tell you about life lately, but I’m afraid it’s going to have to wait a little bit. I hope everyone’s doing well and I’ll keep you updated…

Hi! Glad to see you on the blog. I hope to keep this one short(er) and sweet, given that (much like the last time I wrote) I am trying to stuff 7 months of clothing etc. into two suitcases and a carryon. I suppose this is a lesson in simplifying, whatever that means.

Just a quick update: this week has been fabulous here in Columbus with my parents. Their new house is beautiful and the metro area is fantastic. We spent the first few days out and about shopping for home decor for mom and dad and found some things that complement their digs well. I will say that every store you can think of (and more) are within a 20 minute drive from here, which is super. Mom’s new favorite is World Market, a place not far from their home, where we found many an accent painting and some bottles of wine to accent the hanging of said paintings. Dad’s gym is about 5 minutes away and there are so many festivals and other cultural events going on all the time. It’s really a great set up for them. Oh yes, one more thing: the people here LOVE their Buckeyes! Perhaps this year is it for them. Perhaps the Jayhawks might surprise everyone and be back in Miami for a certain January football game?! I guess we’ll see. I will miss the excitement of the college football season . . .

This week, I also had occasion to head to the Apple store to see what was going on with my wireless card as I had a few problems with connectivity. Because the Apple people were truly awesome, it took the guy who was helping me about five minutes to say “Hey, we can’t figure out what’s going on really, other than it’s a bad wireless card and because we don’t have the part in stock, why don’t we just swap it out for a new computer?” Who was I to argue?! They migrated all my software while Mom and I ran some errands, and lo and behold, I have a brand new Macbook. Fabulous.*

In the evenings this week we’ve been watching movies after dinner in M&D’s home theatre. It’s unbelievable. Dad held nothing back on this one. Some of the speakers are built into the walls/ceiling and the projection screen is 100″. Yeah. One. Hundred. Inches. It truly is like having a theater in the basement. That, by far, is my favorite part of the house though the screened in porch on the back of the house is a close second as the weather has been enjoyable enough in the mornings and evenings to eat outside and enjoy the wine we didn’t consume hanging the pictures.

Yesterday we finally got around to seeing the new Indiana Jones movie (I made them wait until I got here so we could all see it together). I thought it was entertaining and was glad we all got to go together. I suppose the last time one came out we all watched it together too, though it’s been more years than I care to count. After the movie, we headed for the Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest. Despite high humidity, the ribs we had (from Smokin’ Joes) were worth the wait. There were so many people there but it was a fun activity to end the day.

So yes, here I am, once again putting off packing by writing a blog. I hope this manner of procrastinating doesn’t become a habit, but I guess at least it’s doing something productive rather than watching America’s Next Top Model Marathons like last weekend . . .

Anyway, I better get to it. So the next time we chat I’ll be in the land of cheese, windmills, and coffee shops. I cannot believe it’s almost here! I’m really looking forward to spending some time with my bro exploring the city.

Doei for now.

*Fabulous as long as the MacBook does not present with any new problems while I’m roaming the globe, that is.

So today is my last day in Topeka. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. The feeling that is the most recurring is that of still being overwhelmed–probably because I still haven’t finished packing. And here I am, writing a blog post instead of putting stuff in my suitcase. Writing a post and watching an America’s Next Top Model marathon. Classic. Before productivity kicks in, I have a few thoughts on the day I thought I’d share:

Packing

Okay, so I have these swanky new orange suitcases in a great set I got from Dillard’s a few months ago. They’re spacious and fabulous and, well, so beautifully orange. I have also gotten these great compression bags from Target that are similar to gigantic Ziploc bags. They’re like vacuum sealed bags, but you don’t need the vacuum! They’re pretty much ingenious. You need to buy these bags.* For example, I somehow fit fourteen sweaters, shirts, and jackets into one and it fits so nicely into said orange suitcase, with much room to spare. However, the obstacle I’m running up against, and it’s really starting to get on my nerves, is the stupid weight limit for suitcases provided by United Airlines. 50 pounds per checked bag. I know that sounds like a lot, but when packing for a seven-month excursion, it’s actually quite tricky. I wish they could make an exception for people staying for longer than a certain time period. I may write a letter to the airline (in my spare time-ha!)

Google Maps

Thought number two: the awesomeness (and pseudo-creepiness) that is Google Maps. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this new feature, but G Maps now offers a “street-level view” for much of the U.S. in Google’s quest to take over the world. So, when googling for directions from my house to my parents’ in Ohio, I found this. Yes, by clicking on the camera by my address, you can peer at my house and my neighbors’ . . . and that’s not all! You can then click on next step and follow the road all the way. There are a few exceptions where Google hasn’t sent its minions to capture, but it’s only a matter of time. I’m sure that soon, Google will have “in-house views” that tell you the best route to get from your living room to your kitchen . . . yikes (but also really cool)!

Driving

So speaking of maps and directions, the drive tomorrow is probably going to be annoying. I have some podcasts and Dutch lessons to listen to on the way, but 10 to 12 hours in a car does NOT sound like the best way to spend my Saturday. However, I guess I should be more goal-oriented in my thinking, because as I said last time, I’m really looking forward to seeing my parents and hanging out for a week or so. Any suggestions for good audiobooks I should pick up today when running errands?

Gas

A logical leap to my next topic from my last is the FREAKING price of gas. Diesel in my case, which is way worse. The station down the street from our house (which isn’t necessarily representative) is $4.93/gallon. The last time I filled up, it was $4.65. I know I shouldn’t complain too much because my Jetta does get amazing mileage, but it still feels like someone punches me in the stomach everytime I have to fill up. I won’t dwell too much on this because everyone can identify with this sentiment, unfortunately, but GRRRRRR.

Not my Jetta, but you get the idea

Mac and Washburn

Speaking of “grrrrr,” my last rant today is against Washburn’s bookstore. I recently switched from a PC to a Mac laptop (which was, pretty much, the best idea ever) and I want to purchase the Office for Mac 2008 software so I can get all my Word files from old computer to new. Washburn purports to offer these great deals to students that offers the regularly priced software package of $300 for students at $60. $60!! As soon as I received my MacBook, I inquired about purchasing said software . . . this was about a month ago and it was on backorder, but they assured me “it will be in next week” . . . SO, 3.5 weeks later, I’m still getting the “it will be in next week” response and I’m sorely disappointed. Best Buy offers it for $150 and I may end up having to do that as I don’t want to wait until after arriving in NL to get set up with this essential software. Boo, Washburn. Get someone on the phone and make it happen.

Well, it is time for me to be productive and stop complaining about the small things. I suppose the next time we talk, I’ll be writing from Ohio. I’m serious about the audiobook suggestions, if you have any good ones, send them along!

Parting thought: Happy Birthday, Nelson Mandela. May we never forget what you’ve done for South Africa and our world.

* The author was not paid for her endorsement of Embark Compression Bags. She just thinks they’re fabulous. You really should buy them. Really.